Closure cap for tube fittings



Jan. 20, 1953 c. P. DAY 2,625,955

CLOSURE CAP FOR TUBE FITTINGS Filed March 25, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 13nnento1:

624m .2 By, 77 0? MW, all, AMTW C(ttornegs Jan. 20, 1953 c. P; DA-Y2,625,955

CLOSURE CAP FORTUBE FITTINGS Fi led March 25, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2Zhwentor attorneys Patented Jan. 20, 1953 CLOSURE CAP FOR TUBE FITTINGSClarence P. Day, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Parker ApplianceCompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 25, 1946, Serial No. 656,860

7 Claims. 1

The invention has to do with a closure cap for tube fittings and thepresent application is a continuation in part of my prior applicationSerial No. 580,877, filed March 3, 1945, now abandoned.

In the patent granted Arthur L. Parker on August 20, 1940, No.2,212,183, there is shown a. fitting to which the flared end of a tubeis clamped. The fitting includes a body member having a tapered seatwhich is adapted to're ceive the flared end of a tube which is clampedthereagainst by a sleeve and nut.

In the patent granted'Arthur L. Parker August 5, 1941,. No. 2,251,717,there isshown a fitting to which the flareless end of tube is clamped.The fitting includes a body member having a bore to receive the end ofthe tube and a camming surface. The tube is secured to the body memberby a sleeve and nut, the sleeve being contracted by the camming surfaceinto gripping engagement with the tube. There is also another type offitting for tubes which includes a body member having a tapered seat, asleeve and a nut. The sleeve is secured to the tube by soldering and isprovided with an enlarged head which is clamped against the body memberby the nut. It is sometimes desirable to disconnect the tube and toclose the body member to which the tube has been attached. This has beenaccomplished by substituting for the sleeve of the coupling a closurecap which is secured to the body member by means of the nut of thefittingyand thus the opening through the body member is closed. I

An object of the present invention is to provide a cap for closingfittings of the above types wherein the cap is housed within the nut andmay be quickly attached thereto as a unit by the aid of a deformableretaining ring.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section shoW-' ing a closure cap andnut in partially assembled relation;

v 'is' gripped by a sleeve forced by the nut against the. cammingsurface on. the. body member a seat for the flared vend'of the tube.

Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal section showing the improved closurecap applied to the body member in a fitting shown in Figure 5 forclosing the same;

Figure 7 is a view in longitudinal section showing a tube secured to abody member by a sleeve and nut wherein the sleeve is soldered to theend of the tube and is provided with a .head which is clamped againstthe body member;

. Figure 8 is a longitudinal section showingthe improved closure capattached to the body member of the fitting shown in Figure 7 by the nutof the fitting.

The improvement has to do with a closure cap for tube fittings of theabove type. The type of fitting wherein the tube is provided with aflared end which is secured against a seat on the body member by meansof a clamping sleeve and nut will first be described in detail.

The fitting includes a body portionv l which is rigidly attached to thepart to which a tube is to be connected. This body member is providedwith a threaded portion 2 adapted to receive a nut 3. The nut 3 at itsouter end has an inwardly extending flange 4 provided with an opening 5through which the tube attached to the fitting extends. The body memberis provided with a tapered portion 6 which provides The body portion Iof the fitting has a bore 1 therethrough.

The closure cap for closing the bore in the fitting when the tube'isdetached therefrom is indicated at 8. Said cap is provided with anannular tapered sealing surface 9 which is shaped to conform to the seat6 on the body member. The cap extends all the way across the bore"! inthe body member and when forced into contact with the seat thereon, willclose and seal the opening through the body memberf The portion of thecap carrying the tapered. sealing surface is cylindrical and isdimensioned so as to fit loosely within the nut, leaving a clearancespace it between the cap and the nut. The cylindrical portion 8 isprovided with a cylindrical extension H which is dimensioned so that itmay pass through the opening 5 in the flange of the nut.

Between the cylindrical portion of the cap carrying the clearancesurface and the extension ll thereof is an annular shoulder [3 which isadapted to be contacted with by the flange of the nut. The cylindricalportion II is provided with an annular groove M in which is located aring gasket l5 of. deformable. material,

dimensioned so that it may be forced over the end of the extension IIinto the groove and when in place, it,.-will remain attached to theextension a;- unit? and will be substantially without any distortionfrom its original shape. The

flange of the nut at the inner side of the opening;

5 is provided with a rounded corner I6.

When it is desired to provide aclosurezfon th'e fitting l, the closurecap ishinsertedin the put as shown in Figure 1. Asit'isiorbedtoftheleft;

the gasket will contact with the roundd'borner l5" H5. The gasket andthe opening are so dimensioned that the initial contact of' 'the -edgeofithei nut flange with the ring gasket is fairly closetov the maximumdiameter of the ring gasket and' therefore. therelatively'fiat angle atsuch point V readilyrindu'cesradialinwardsqueeze'or deformatino'fthejringigasket'in preference-to aradial outward expansion whichwould result in the pinchingrof the ringigasket.

shown in'Figurez, the; ring gasket is deformed sufficiently' so as topassth'rough the opening-5 in "the flange of the nut; The groove isOfsufliEientWi'dthso. asnot toin' anywa'yinterferewithTthis"distortionfofithertinggasket.

plet'ly"assembledLandthe gasketisf entirely free fiombontactwith theflange of the nut so' that it expands to itsnormal shape. Theinnerwallof the'reeess isfsubsta'ntiallyi in alignment with the outer'end of the'fiange; This :ringgasketiunctions. asa retaininggmeans'forholding'the closurecap intnenutz. After they have been assemb'led,"if'the nut' is placedlona' support with thetopeningiendfdown, theweightof the closure cap willf bringrthe gasket'into'contact with the end of"the nut, ,but u'nless considerable pressure is 'broughtjto. bear forthe purpose of separating the; closure. cap: from the nut; said/closurecap wilf remain sup'ported by, the 'nut. The'clearance space. betweenthenu't andthe cap' under" such conditions WiITbe'seaIedby'the gasket sothat dust'iand; dirt cannot work' through to the: inner faceoftheclosure'cap.

While the closure cap"may'be'readilyinserted in the'nutrbyhandpressureapplied'thereto at its in- 5 ner face, itca-n be equally easilydisconnected from thenut" by pressure-applied to the outer-end ofth'eIcIosure cap so that when it isi'desired to again connect a tube tothe fitting; the cap can be removed; detached'fi'omth e'nut and thenutused inconnecti'on a clamping sleeve'iorthe securingofrth'e tubeto'theseat'on the fitting. This deformable gasket-' makesavery simply andeasily operated retaining:v connection between the closure cap and thenut'and when the closure cap-- isdetach'ed from theifitting, said gasketand closure cap'willstill beconnected as a unit. Furthermore; thenut andcap maybe stored separately'and' assembled asa'unit if desired.

.While' the ring; gasket serves to retain the es closurecap and nuttogether as a unit, the gasket does not in any way interfere with thesealing gasket shifting in the nut to make proper sealing engagementbetween the tapered sealing surface on'thej closure cap andthe'seat G'onthe b ody m member; Furthermore; during-assembling of the closure capand the" nut the ring gasket'keeps the closure cap' centered andtherefore there is no danger of'the capscratchin'g'or marring the bore.

4 through the opening in the flange of the nut will not scratch or marthe same.

The application of the improved closure cap to a fitting for a flarelesstube such as shown in Figure 5 will now be described. Briefly, thefitting includes a body member I! having an external thread. lfiLarborel9 anda counterbore 20 terminating iii-La camminggisurface; 21.. At theinner end ofthe counterbore is a seat22. A clamping sleeve 23 is placedon the tube with the clamping nut 24. The inner edge of this sleeve isadapted tooengagewhwtube and clamp the end thereof against the. seat 22.This sleeve, when forced alongthe tube' b'y-the turning of the nut ontothe bod-yimemheriwifl contact with the camming surface 2! andwillbecontracted so as to bite into thertuhezz Thissform of fitting is merelyillustrative ofatype of fitting which is adapted to clamp theen'd of afiareless .tube. The improved cap is adapted to close the bore throughthe body member'fwhen the tube is detached therefrom. The nut'ofthefittin'g is' utilized forirsecuringzthe closu'recap to thebodynienrberz Theaelosurexcap is indicatedat 25 in Figure 6 either-drawings.

Said cap is provided with a sealingshoulder ifi which isshape'd so as toengage the cammingrsurface 2 Hand makeseali'ngcont'act. therewith. Thecap25 is provided wi'tli an enlarged annular-portion z i wh ich forms ashoul'der 28$ The capiis dimensioned: so as to fit loosely within thenutso that the sho'uider 28' the'reon will engage'saitapered shoulder 290n"the nut.- The outer portiorriilof the: cap is dimensioned so as t'o*-extend freely through the' -opening tli'rough the flanged end i of the"Hut. The outer end of the cap i is provided with anannu1a'r1channel 3 liiniwhich is; disposed a gasket 32; This gasket 'is si-mila'r" to -thatdisclosed' in Figures l-3 -of the drawings ami functionsprecis'ely' inthe sames mannerzas described above'in connection-withitheiring gasket"I 5. After the tube has' been disconnected,- the' sealingrcap is placedin th'e nut50f thei fitti'ngTand' the:outer end-portion carrying" thegasket is 'forced'through the opening 'in the fiange of the nut an'dthus the cap is secured toithe' nut: as a-unit by the gasket 32. This isa'c'complished in the manner described in connection' with the closurecap shown in Figures" 1-3 and further i description thereof is notthought necessary.

After the closure cap'ha's been attached to the nut as aunit; thentheinut is threadedonto the body of the fi tting anilthefisealing'shouldr 26 of the cap WiII engage the taperedcammingisurface 2! and make a very firm ti'ght sealior the bodwmem ben IThe improved; closure capis I equally? adapted for the closing"of"the:body member in thetype of'coupiing shown in Figure In this figure, thebodymember'i's indicated at 33. Said body member is provided with athreadii l adapted to'beengaged by a nut 35; The body" member has a bore36' therethrough an'd'the outer end'of the body member is tapered, asindicated" at'31. The tube which is to be attached-to thisbodymember'has its'end portion inserted in a sleeve 38 to which sleevethetube is secured by a solder bond 39. The tube isprovided with anenlarged head 50. The inner end of'this sleeve is fi'ar'ed as at a! tofit the flared portion 31 on the body member; The nut is provided with aflange having an opening therethrough for the sleeveand a shoulder 42which engages-a shoulder "on the head do 'of'the sleeve-382'-Their'nproved closure cap; as; applied to a this Furthermore; thesealing gasket" as it passestypepf 'coupling, is shown inEig zs; Theicapis indicated at 43. Said cap includes a head having a tapered face 44adapted to seat against the tapered surface 31 on the body member. Thisclosure capfits loosely within, the nut and is provided with a shoulder45 which is engaged by;

the shoulder 42 on the nut 35. At the outer end, the closure cap isprovided with a recess 46 in which is placed a ring gasket 41 similar tothat described in connection with Figures 1-3. The closure cap isassembled in the nut as a unit in the manner described above, afterwhich the nut is threaded onto the body member and the closure captightly sealed against the tapered surface 31.

It is noted that in all three types of fittings described, the nut ofthe fitting is employed for securing the closure cap to the body memberfor closing the same. It will also be noted that the closure cap issecured to the nut so as to be retained therein as a unit in the samemanner in all types of fittings. The shaping of the end of the closurecap for each type of fitting is such as to make a sealed connection withthe body member when attached thereto by the nut.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction andshaping of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure assembly for a tube fitting having a tapered seat adaptedto receive the flared end of a tube comprising a nut having a threadedconnection with the fitting, a closure cap disposed within said nut andhaving a sealing surface shaped to conform to the seat on the fittingfor the closing of the fitting when the nut is threaded onto the same,said nut having an opening surrounded by a flange adapted to engage theclosure cap, said closure cap having an extension projecting through thenut opening and a deformable ring gasket carried by said extension andserving as a retaining ring for detachably securing the cap and nuttogether as a unit when detached from the fitting.

2. A closure assembly for a tube fitting having a tapered seat adaptedto receive the flared end of a tube comprising a nut having a threadedconnection with the fitting and an inwardly projecting flange, a closurecap disposed within said nut and having a sealing surface shaped toconform to the seat on the fitting for the closing of the fitting whenthe nut is threaded onto the same, said cap having an extensionproviding at its inner end a shoulder adapted to be engaged by theflange of the nut, said extension having an annular recess therein, theinner wall of which is in substantial alignment with the outer wall ofthe flange of the nut when the parts are assembled, a ring gasketdisposed in said recess, said gasket being of slightly larger outerdiameter than the opening through the flange of the nut whereby saidgasket after passing through the opening will expand so as to retain theclosure cap in the nut as a unit.

3. A closure assembly for the body member of a tube fitting comprising acap having a sealing surface adapted to engage the body member of thefitting for closing the same, a nut for attaching said cap to said bodymember, said cap being dimensioned so as to be inserted within the nut,said nut having an opening surrounded by a flange adapted to engage theclosure cap, said closure cap having an extension projecting through thenut opening and a deformable ring gasket carried by said extension andserving as and nut together as a unit when detached from the fitting.

4. A closure assembly for the body member of a tube fitting comprising acap having a sealing surface adapted to engage the body member of thefitting for closing the same, a nut for attaching said cap to said bodymember, said cap being dimensioned so as to be inserted within the nutand having an extension adapted to extend through the flange of the nutand a shoulder adapted to engage said flange, said extension having anannular recess therein, the inner wall of which is substantially inalignment with the outer wall of the flange of the nut when the partsare assembled, a ring gasket disposed in the recess, said gasket beinginitially of slightly larger outer diameter than the opening through theflange of the nut, whereby the gasket after passing through the openingwill expand so as to retain the cap in the nut as a unit.

5. A closure assembly for the body member of a tube fitting in which thebody member is provided with a camming surface adapted to contract aclamping sleeve into gripping engagement with the tube comprising a caphaving a sealing surface adapted to engage the camming surface on thebody member for closing the same, a nut for attaching said cap to saidbody member, said cap being dimensioned so as to be inserted within thenut whereby the nut may be used for attaching the cap to the bodymember, said closure cap having an extension projecting from said nutand a deformable ring gasket carried by said extension and serving as aretaining means for securing the cap and nut together as a unit prior tothe attachment of the nut to the body member.

6. A closure assembly for a tube fitting comprising a nut having atransverse shoulder with a bore therethrough and adapted to bethreadably connected with said fitting, a cap having a sealing surfaceand a shoulder engageable by said nut shoulder whereby said sealingsurface may be pressed into engagement with said fitting, said caphaving an extension projecting into said bore and beyond the nut, saidextension having a recess therein, a yieldable rubber-like retainingmember in said recess and located beyond said nut, a portion of saidmember projecting slightly beyond the diameter of said bore, said memberwhen in said recess being sufficiently rigid to normally retain said capwithin said nut but yieldable under pressure to allow said cap to passinto or out of said nut.

7. A cap adapted to be detachably connected to a nut having a transverseshoulder and a bore therethrough and further adapted to cooperate withsaid nut for closing a tube fitting, said cap having an enlarged headengageable by said nut shoulder for pressing said cap into closingengagement with said fitting, said cap also having a projectionextending outward of said head and provided with an annular recess, ayieldable continuous ring within said recess and normally having adiameter slightly greater than the diameter of said bore, said gasketwhen in said recess being sufficiently rigid to normally retain said capwithin said nut but yieldable under pressure to allow said cap to passinto or out of said nut.

CLARENCE P. DAY.

(References on following page) =17 *EITrED Number Name Date The fdllowin'rferenc'es are of irecord in"=the 2,416,829 Hartley 1 9 me of thispaint: :2;45 1;441 Main f b. c h Oct. '12, 1948 UNITED .STATE'SPATEN'I'SFOREIGN PATENTS Name Date Number Country Di? 732x503 waters se ta, 19033441523 France July 1939 1,127,022 Knight Feb. 2, 1915

